


Ino Yamanaka Learns a new Jutsu!

by LadyAbernathyWordsmith



Series: The Uchiha Chronicles [10]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Birthday Party, F/M, Mind Reading, Past Lives, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-29
Updated: 2017-03-29
Packaged: 2018-10-12 10:29:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10488843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyAbernathyWordsmith/pseuds/LadyAbernathyWordsmith
Summary: Ino was taught a new Yamanaka Family Jutsu! The Mind Reading Technique! And what sort of love-struck girl wouldn't give it a try on her long-time crush?She just wishes she hadn't.//Can be read independantly//





	

Ino was incredibly grateful. It was the mind Reading Technique, and it had taken months for her to be able to use it without anybody noticing it, though someone of a higher sensory ability would take notice of course.

Her father said it would be used in interrogation with her outside the room, but she had other plans for it’s use. Namely, Sasuke-kun.

She’d been preparing for this ever since she learnt of the techniques existence, tracking his route and committing it to memory, finding alternate routes herself so she would always keep Sasuke in range of her jutsu without him being able to actually notice her following. When she was given the seal of technique perfection by her father, she eagerly awaited for Sasuke to finish with Team 7.

As if on a timer, she saw Sasuke strolling down the streets, about to pass the Yamanaka flower shop. Under the table, Ino did her handsigns and honed in on Sasuke’s chakra signature, the rest of the worlds’ noises dulling as Sasuke’s thoughts were conveyed to her.

_‘Flowers? No, they don’t last. Besides, anyone with half a mind can get her **flowers**. It has to be something special.’_

Her?! Flowers?! Ino’s pulse suddenly upticked, looking down at the counter as Sasuke paused momentarily to look in, and continued on a second later. _‘Plus, it’d be weird getting them from here. Gotta find something else.’_

Ino shouted into the backroom. “Mooom! I’m going on break!!”

“Alright! Be back soon though, we’ve got an order that needs to be arranged!”

Ino barely heard her, rushing out the door and heading towards her alternate route, keeping Sasuke in her range. _‘Hairclips! …Bah, she wouldn’t want these. They’re too flashy.’_

 _‘No they’re not!!’_ Ino wanted to scream, she’d gladly accept anything from Sasuke-kun!

 _‘Think practical, useful.’_ Sasuke thought, stopping again at the door of a weapons store. _‘Knifes? Maybe. Her chakra control is great, so maybe wires? Or a senbon launcher! Ah…but she’s non-combatant. She’s assistance. Maybe a book would be better…’_ He mused going onwards. _‘But what? Healing, of course, but she’s already studying it. I don’t know what level she’s at or what kinds of books she already owns. She probably has an entire library in her room.’_ He chuckled a little mentally, making shivers run down Ino’s spine at the sound.

But…he didn’t know about Ino’s ability, and she wasn’t studying anything concerning healing…Was he talking about…Sakura?!

A wave of disappointment mixed with fury filled Ino, as she doggedly tagged her darling crush, listening in on his thoughts.

 _‘Maybe I can make her something…I can’t cook for shit though. Maybe I could ask her parents what she’d like? Or ask if I could see her room and see what books she has? ‘Hello, Sir. I’m a friend…I’m your daughters’ teammate, and I would like to see her room to make sure she’s safe!’ No, that’s stupid. Her Dad would just throw me out and tell me to never come back. ‘Good afternoon, Haruno-san. I’m Sakura’s teammate, I noticed her birthday is coming up, and I was wondering if she had made mention of something she really wanted or needed. I’d like to get it for her.’ That sounds better…I wonder what Naruto got her. Probably raman coupon’s, that idiot. Won’t be hard to top him.’_ He continued on, walking as he went.

Ino nearly stepped right off a rooftop in her haste to follow and listen.

 _‘Is it bad that I have to ask though? I mean, I’ve known her for two years, and she’s been my teammate for the last couple months! I should know her better by now…I wish she’d cut the crap sometimes, it’s always about **me** when I’m with her. She knows all about me but I know next to nothing about her…She’s so…annoying sometimes.’_ There was a small note of affection in his tone, Ino realized as she stepped down from the rooftops, when her route would take her too far from Sasuke,

_‘I should get flowers too, regardless of the actual gift, something simple, nothing huge. She might get the wrong idea.’_

Yes!! Wrong idea, the wrong idea being that he liked her!!

_‘I need her to wait a while, but I don’t want her to get frustrated and leave me. Roses are too obvious…Just giving her a cherry blossom stick is stupid though. What does Tsubaki flowers mean again?’_

_‘Waiting.’_ Thought Ino, a lump in her throat.

_‘Carnations maybe, gardenia mean…secret love, I think. That’s too obvious. Hibuscus? Isn’t there a tea made of hibiscus? Mm…I could really go for some tea right now. Huh? Is that…? Well, speak of the devil and she shall appear. Sakura! I’ll shop later, I guess.’_

Ino halted, seeing Sasuke pause just ahead. Indeed, it was Sakura’s familiar pink head just coming out of the grocery store, armed with a few bags in hand. Ino snuck a bit closer, listening in to their actual conversation.

“Hello again, Sasuke-kun!” Sakura greeted him with a smile. “Out doing some shopping too?”

“Trying to, nothing worth buying today though.” Sasuke shrugged slightly, walking with her. “Need a hand?”

“Ah, no it’s fine. I don’t live too far away from here, and I was just picking up some stuff for dinner tonight.” She said, tucking a strand of short pink hair behind her ear. “Say, would you like to join us for dinner? My mom always makes too much.”

 _‘Of course, I’d love to.’_ Thought Sasuke eagerly. _‘But, I haven’t showered and probably still smell. Not a good idea to meet future in-laws like this.’_

“No thanks.” Sasuke said, not noticing as Ino nearly choked on her own spit. In-laws?! He already decided?! On _Sakura_!? “Maybe next time.”

“Aw, that’s too bad.” Sakura hummed, with a tilt of her head. “Maybe next time? You know, my birthday is coming up…”

 _‘I’m fully aware. I’ve been stressing over it for the past few weeks.’_ “Hn.”

“I was thinking maybe we could go out…I mean, all of us. Team 7.”

 _‘Thank god! I don’t think I can handle just us. Too much pressure.’_ “It’s something to do. Doesn’t Nara and his team go out all the time and stuff? Maybe it helps with teamwork.”

“Team 8? Yeah, they were raised together though, so that probably is a big part too.”

“Hn.” _‘Go back to the birthday, idiot! Get her talking about what she wants!’_ “When is your birthday anyway?” _‘March 28 th.’ _He answered his own question.

“March 28th.” She answered him with a smile. “This is where we split. Goodnight, Sasuke-kun!” She bade, going down a residential street, where homes and apartments were. He had no more reason to follow her down that path…

_‘Missed opportunity…A week left, and I still haven’t found the perfect gift…’_

Sasuke continued on, stopping for a cup of tea along the way. Ino stayed for a little while longer, but left him alone before he finished his cup.

So…Sasuke liked Sakura in return…

Ino trudged back to the store, dejected and broken hearted. It did make a sense, he was with her always, he probably got used to her, probably seen her at her strongest and weakest…

Just because she understood, doesn’t mean she had to like it!!

She ran upstairs to her room, eyes brimmed with tears as she threw herself onto her bed, curling up and refusing to eat that night.

Ino barely participated in InoShikaCho’s next training session, and was a ghost of her usual self for the next few days afterwards.

At lunch, three days later and a week before Sakura’s birthday, Choji finally spoke up.

“Something’s up with her.” Choji said, stuffing his face with pork slices.

“Hey, Ino! I never thought I’d be the one saying this, but wake up! Seriously, you’re freaking us out here.” Grumbled Shikamaru, snapping his fingers infront of her nose.

“Hey, guys…? What would you do if you found out your crush liked someone else?” She asked, turning to lean against the wall of the booth, avoiding Shikamaru’s snapping fingers. “Like, really _really_ liked someone else?”

The boys glanced at each other. “Sasuke?” They asked in unison.

Ino made no confirmation or denial, but it was obvious that Sasuke was who she was talking about.

“Get over it, I guess.” Shrugged Shikamaru. “No point in getting sad for someone who doesn’t know you exist.”

“Yeah! Sasuke always looks to gloomy and half-dead, I’d be happy for him!” Declared Choji with a firm nod.

…He had been looking a little livelier these past few months… Ino thought with a slight mental sigh. She just thought maybe he was getting stronger and feeling happy because of that.

She…She should try, to be happy for him. She wasn’t a total monster, she could…she could be the mature one, to let go. Trying to drive a wedge would just make Sasuke hate her and Sakura despise her even more.

She would _try,_ at the very least…it wouldn’t be easy, though.

She excused herself from the meal, heading home immediately. Due to missing the rest of her shift yesterday to mope around, Ino was made to finish her hours today as well.

She was at the back, grabbing more pots and vases to put on display when Sasuke came into the store. She stopped momentarily, wondering if she should…

In the end, she was weak and decided to do the mind-reading jutsu again, taking the pots in hand once she was focused on Sasuke and putting them on display.

 _‘Shit! I thought she wasn’t working today!’_ Thought Sasuke, his expression never faltering despite his panicked thoughts. _‘Goddamnit, what now?! Do I leave? Yamanaka might spread word that I was looking at flowers though! Wait, wait! If I…I’ll buy some cheap bulk ones and say they’re for my family graves! OR have I been standing here staring too long at the roses to make a quick exit? Fuck!’_

Amazing, even Sasuke could be a dork sometimes too. Ino sighed slightly, putting the vases and pots on the counter to sort out later and putting on her best plastic ‘for customers’ smile on her face. “Good afternoon, Sasuke-kun. Sakura’s birthday isn’t for another week, and flowers are best bought the night before, not the week before.”

Sasuke’s dark eyes narrowed. “How did you-“

“Lucky guess.” Ino said quickly, very much avoiding his accusing stare. “Find a gift for her yet?”

Sasuke’s face flushed slightly, looking away. “…No.”

“Geeze, are all boys so useless?” She sighed deeply. “There’s an antique store, down five blocks, take two rights it’ll be on your left. It’s called Relics and Rarities. There’s probably something there, _go_.” She said, shoving him out the door.

“Uh…thanks…?” He said, slightly confused as he walked away. _‘Weird…but whatever. Might as well try, I haven’t had any luck at all the new stores. She said…down five blocks, two rights and on the left.’_

“Mooom! I’m going on break!!” She shouted, stripping her work apron and jumping out the door, trailing behind Sasuke.

“No you aren’t young lady, you will-Ino!!”

The blonde didn’t slow her pace, even as she heard her mother demanding her back that instant.

Sasuke followed her directions, finding Relics and Rarities after only a moment of wandering to find it, having little to no thoughts on the way.

He stepped inside, and she slipped into the alley way, so she was near enough to both listen to his thoughts and stay out of sight.

_‘I could get this comb…But her hair’s short now. I wonder if she plans on growing it back? I hope so, it was so pretty…I’ll take it now and give that to her next time, so I don’t wait last minute again. Hairpins…these ones are too pink and blend in with her hair, but these red ones…Red and green, that would look nice with that kimono she has. When’s the next festival again? … These ones for next time too. Hmm…This fan maybe? Not now, but it’s nice though...Take it now, save it for later.’_

Ino sweatdropped, listening in to his ramblings. Seriously? He was buying damn contingency gifts years in advance!!

_‘Music box? Wind-wind-wind…Hm? What’s this song? Da, da, da~! Da, da, da~! Dada-da da da da~!...Shopkeeper is watching me. I should ask. Ahem, excuse me sir. Do you know what this music box plays? Excuse me, do you know what this song is? ...Goddamnit, I flubbed the question! I sounded so rude…What did he say? It was an old folk song…Wind-wind-wind…’_

Ino put a hand to her face, a slight aura of annoyance surrounding her. Her vision of him as an awesome and cool idol was seriously being cut down by his rambling monologue. By the tune he’d been mentally singing, she had a good idea of what the song was.

‘Sakura Sakura’

_‘It looks nice and plays well, the song shouldn’t matter so much. It fits her. Perfect gift, attained.’_

Ino pressed herself against the wall, quiet as a mouse as Sasuke paid, stepped out and left back down the streets.

She breathed a sigh of relief when he failed to notice her, ignoring the painful little ache at the bottom of her stomach as she watched his retreating back.

She went home, and didn’t see Sasuke again until March 27th, late in the evening and just an hour before closing. Birthday flowers time.

She already had an arrangement prepared for Sasuke when he appeared. A simple clay vase of pink-red camellia and light pink roses, with a single, small branch of peach blossoms and a small branch of cherry blossoms on the same side.

She waited for an entire five minutes as Sasuke browsed their selection of daffodils and an bouquet of lillies, glancing at the vase beside Ino but never asking directly about it.

Ino gave another little mental sigh. Was he always like this?! If she’d learnt this Jutsu earlier, would she have found out that he was so spineless about social matters? The guy could take on people twice his size in a fight and still squirm when he had to talk friendly to someone he wasn’t intimately familiar with.

“I…please, I know this is a little…awkward, but could you give these to Sakura, please?” She said, just as he was about to grab the quickest option from the bargain bin. He looked up, looking at her with an expressionless face. “For her birthday. Please don’t tell her they’re from me.” She said, pushing the vase of flowers a little closer. “Free of charge, just deliver them. You can even say you picked them out.”

“Shouldn’t you be doing that? You are her friend, right?” He asked, eyebrow raised.

“I should, I know but…we’re just now starting to try and patch things up. I want to do something for her birthday, but I don’t think that she’d accept them easily if it were me giving them.” She said, quickly excusing herself.

“Does it mean anything?” He asked, stepping closer to inspect the vase. “I know Sakura will blow anything I do out of proportion if it’s me giving them.”

“Camellia is humility and discretion,” She explained, pointing them out. “White roses are purity, peach blossoms are ‘fascinating personality’, and the cherry blossoms are-“

“Beauty of heart and accomplishment, I know that much.” Said Sasuke answering before he made a face like he sucked on something sour. If Ino was listening to his thoughts, she would be betting that he was getting angry at himself for letting anyone know that he knew what sakura meant in flower-language. “Hn, alright fine. They’re free anyway, right? I might as well save some money.”

He took them, careful not to ruin her careful arrangement and left. He didn’t notice that, beneath the flower blossoms, was a little plastic stick and folded up note. _‘For Sakura, from Sasuke’_

Sakura probably wouldn’t either, not until they started to wilt, whenever that was.

March 28th came soon enough. It was the weekend, so Ino had no training and was stuck inside for the day, working again. Thankfully, she’d be let go for the afternoon though.

“Ino-chan, good morning!” Ino lifted her head from the magazine she’d been reading, seeing a familiar red-haired man at the door.

“Oh? Kizashi-san! It’s been a while since I’ve last seen you!” Sakura’s father seemed to have changed quite a bit, from his formerly rumpled and lacklustre appearance to a fairly sharply dressed man with grey streaks in his sakura-flower shaped hair, and his chin stubble-free. She wondered what he was doing these days…

“You’re tellin’ me! You’ve grown into quite the young lady!” Chorted the man, slapping a hand on her shoulder and nearly bowling her over in the process. “Say, you wouldn’t happen to be interested in coming to a birthday party for my little girl, would you? My wife and I are planning a surprise party and…well, we forgot about the invitations until last minute!”

Ino sweatdropped slightly. Clothes or not, he hadn’t changed at all!

“Sakura’s birthday? …Yeah, sure! I’m in. What are we doing?” She asked, curious. “I can find Choji and Shikamaru too, if you want.”

“Yeah, yeah! Her entire genin year, all nine of you! I already found that weird green spandex boy, and he was excited to join in! Here, take these.” Kizashi said, handing her three cards, red with pink blossoms on it, detailing the time and location.

At the Haruno Household, food and drink supplied.

She said she’d find them, waving goodbye to the man as he tottered off to hopefully find more guests.

Ino was smiling, looking down at the card. Hm, 7 pm.

…7 PM?!

Right now, it was almost 11!! It would be next to impossible to find a decent gift in nine hours, find Shikamaru and Choji, make sure they had proper gifts and get ready!!

“MOOOM!!”

“Just…just go.” The woman sighed from the back.

“Thanks!!” Ino shouted, running out.

Thankfully, she did find Shikamaru rather quickly. Napping in his favorite spot, but Choji wasn’t with him! She explained as fast as she could, about the birthday and the invitation and how they had to be fast about shopping.

Shikamaru listened, moaned about how much of a drag it was, but didn’t try to get out of it, standing and cracking his neck. “I have a shoji board my Dad bought me while he was out of the country, I’ll give that. I already have mine, I don’t see why he bothered getting me a new one.”

“Perfect! You go find Choji, I’m going to the shopping district!” She said, rushing off. She was making a little mental checklist in her head as she went. Clothes should be avoided, something small and simple, something…

After five hours of scouring, she couldn’t find a damn thing that seemed appropriate and didn’t look like she waited until absolutely last second to buy. She was sitting on the benches, sighing deeply.

“You look like shit, Yamanaka.”

Ino looked up, seeing Sasuke standing over her. Oh, him. She sighed, head bowing in frustration. “I was invited last minute and don’t have a gift.” She said, shoving the invitation into his face.

“Surprize party, huh?” His brows furrowed. Good thing he found out, Team 7 were just going to eat some place cheap and call it a night. They had no idea her parents had been planning too. “Mind if I keep this?”

“Go ahead.” She said, standing. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to keep-“ She stopped, feeling something poke her chest. “Huh?”

It was a box, unwrapped and with a loose band of elastic keeping the top and bottom together. “Here, give this.” He said, letting go once she had taken hold. “You helped me, I might as well return the favor.”

She opened it, eyes wide. A hair comb! Made of cherry wood, with painted cherry blossoms on it! “I…How? Why!?”

“I found a music box at that store you told me about a while ago, but it seemed stupid that she wouldn’t have anything to put in it. She doesn’t have much hair stuff, I've noticed.”

Ino bowed deeply, taking the box. “Thank you so much! I’ll be sure to repay you for this!”

“You already gave me the flowers. I’m just breaking even here.” Sasuke said, leaving without another word.

Alright, perfect. A hair comb, she had a beautiful hair comb. She just needed to wrap them and make sure Choji had something too.

After a quick shower and wrapping session, taking both Shikamaru’s in-package shoji board (which apparently was thinner and better for travel) and the gift Choji bought (a rather nice embroidered red purse he got second hand from a cousin), they were ready with just enough time to spare, hopping on over to the Haruno household.

Inside, Team 10, Lee and Tenten were already there. Neji was keeping an eye out for her, said Lee. Tenten quietly adding that Lee had basically dragged him along to be look out because of his byakugan. The inside of the house completely barren of decorations.

The yard, however, was covered with streamers and a string of electric paper lanterns, with the tables and such already laid out well in advance, and a small pile of presents laid out the small porch.

Neji arrived, announcing that they were coming as everyone hopped to their hiding spots.

They stood outside for a bit, Hinata reporting that they were just standing there.

Ino got annoyed, made her handsigns and began to read Sakura’s mind.

_‘Not right not right. There’s way too many shoe prints right infront of the door. There’s people inside. I’m putting my money on…Papa threw me a surprise party._

A second, louder voice shouted, nearly making Ino lose focus. **_“I’m not a little baby anymore!! Why does he try crap like this?! Shannaro!!_** ”

_“His hearts in the right place, at least. Alright, act surprised! One, two-“_

The door to the house swung open, and Sakura did at least manage to act the part. Ino grinned, despite the failure only she knew of.

Sakura stepped back, pretending to be startled and walking into Sasuke’s chest. _“Shit, shit! Whoops, sorry!! I didn’t mean to do that!”_ She mentally cursed, as her inner self sighed dreamily about bumping into Sasuke’s chest.

Ino dispelled, not listening in anymore as Sakura’s face genuinely went pink at her mistake.

She and Naruto dragged her to the yard, Sasuke and Kakashi trailing behind. Together, they began to eat and talk. Sakura thanking her parents with a wide smile, saying that yes, she had been very surprised.

Ino kept glancing at Sasuke, whose stare was only ever directed at Sakura, or at his food.

She mentally sighed, she felt stupid for not realizing it earlier. Of course he was in love with her.

The birthday candles were blown out, cake was served and Sakura was handed birthday gifts one after another.

She received the comb, shoji board and purse from Team 8 gratefully, hugging Ino with sincere gratitude. Team 10 got her office supplies, a special notebook with her name and family symbol on the front, a set of fancy pens and pencils, and a book on herbal remedies. Sakura was really excited about them, as goddamn nerdy as she was. It would help her in her medical studies.

Tenten got her a set of black leather gloves, saying that after she heard about her prowess with chakra control from Lee, she might look into apprenticing under Lady Tsunade.

Lee got her a pair of leg weights as well, to help her in her training. Neji gave her a hair ribbon, white silk with blue silk on the ends, with flowers embroidered on it, and tied it so the blue ends made a bow on the side of her head just above her ear, looking almost like a butterfly.

Naruto did give her coupons, as Sasuke predicted, but he was sensitive enough to include a matching hairbrush and hand mirror set. Kakashi gave her a matching set of pink glass hair sticks, with dangling red and pink glass beads.

Sakura’s brow furrowed when her hair ornaments were put together, and she hadn’t yet received Sasuke’s gift.

“We didn’t plan this.” Said Sasuke, setting down his wrapped gift on the table infront of her. “All the…themed things.”

Sakura was smiling, laughing a little. “It’s alright, they’re all really cute.” She said. “Thank you, Sasuke-kun.”

She opened it, eyes going wide at the box. It was beautiful! Dark brown wood, with cherry blossom icons and a branch painted on, with a little drawer on the base and a part at the top that opened up, where a mirror and a little model sakura tree was, inside a tiny tube. Ino supposed that it would spin when the song played.

She pulled thr drawer open, and found that it was deep and wide enough to perfectly fit in the brush and mirror Naruto got her, and the comb into the top most part with the mirror and model tree. 

A mechanical click was heard when she closed both the drawer and the lid, and Sakura raised a brow. “I think…This might be something else.” She said aloud, moving the box to wind the key in the back, and letting it play.

The entire song played once, and the top popped open. “It’s a shinobi-box!” Marveled Sakura, eyes wide as she opened the top again. “They used to use these to transport hidden messages across enemy lined by disguising it as commerce!”

The back mirror had popped open like a panel, and there was a folded up, faded letter behind it. She picked it up, carefully pulling the old and brittle paper open

Ino looked over her shoulder, taking a look. It was a love letter, from a Shinobi to a Feudal Princess. Ino wasn’t fast enough or close enough to read the old writing, however, and couldn’t read it all over Sakura’s shoulder.

 “What is it?” Asked Naruto curiously, head tilting.

“A letter,” Answered Sakura, folding it back up and fitting it back in the panel, closing it before Ino could take another look. “Maybe a prophecy.”

“Prophecy?” Asked Ino, raising an eyebrow.

“Yep,” She said, closing it up. “Time to move on!”

Ino watched as Sakura went onwards, leaving the gifts on the table. Team 7 apparently had a thing for throwing cakes and frosting around on birthdays, so Ino stayed out of this game, as Sakura sat down and took some cupcakes to the face, curtesy of Naruto and Sasuke.

The evening didn’t last very long after that. They all still had jobs to do in the morning, so they bade farewell and one last happy birthday to Sakura, before leaving for the night.

Sakura brought her plethora of gifts to her room, and popped open the music box again to reread the letter inside.

**_To My Beloved,_ **   
**_It's been so long since I've written you, longer still since I've sent you a letter like this. Do you remember? The first time we saw this box, it was so plain and unassuming. It was the perfect shinobi box._ **   
**_We remade it, together. Painted over the dull brown to make your flowers, we had the glass melted down and reformed into your favorite hair sticks and the comb and brush repainted. As long as the weight was the same, and in the same places, it would only open for you._ **   
**_By the time you receive this and find all the keys to open it again, you will have already married._ **   
**_We swore that one day we would run away together, to be man and wife. Words can’t express the pain I felt upon hearing of your engagement, though it had been years since we even spoke._ **   
**_I’m coming, Lady Sakura. I will steal you away in the night, so we can be together again._ **   
**_Sincerely, Sarutobi Sasuke._ **

Sakura set aside the letter, reaching in for the second one inside.

 _To My Darling,_  
               I beg of you, stay your hand. I loved you well, Sasuke-kun, but I have made my choice. My duty and love is for my people before myself. To leave with you would start a war between Shinobi and Samurai.  
               _Take this box and give it to your wife. I am aware that you yourself have married in the past few years, and that you have a son as well. Just as word’s can’t express the pain you felt hearing my engagement, there’s no way for you to understand the agony I felt knowing you only thought of me when I began to move on from you. I will no longer be opening this any longer._  
               _I love you, Sasuke, but we must move on. In our next life, perhaps then we can be together. Until then, my love.  
_ _Farewell, signed Sakura-Hime._

There was a third, un-opened letter inside, still sealed with wax. She broke the seal, unfolded it, and read.

 __ **To My Lady,**  
               I have never stopped thinking of you, and I never will. I loved you from the moment I saw you and will continue to do so until my blood stops flowing.  
               We chose duty over love, and to this day I wonder if we made the right choice. Across all this space between us, I still feel my hands yearn for your touch, my heart beats only for the slim chance of seeing you again.  
               Regardless, we made our choices, and so we must live with them.  
               I pray you have a long and happy life, I pray your husband loves you as much as I wish I could, I pray he is a kind and loving and honest man, I hope he is the man you deserve.  
               In our next life, my sweet Sakura. I promise.  
                             Sincerely, Sasuke.

Next life, huh? She must’ve sent it back without reading Sasuke’s final letter, he must’ve seen how it hadn’t been opened. Maybe he had done as told and given it to his wife or maybe it was lost on the way…Either way, she couldn’t help but imagine…maybe their love would reach across lifetimes, maybe she and her Sasuke…

Sakura fell onto her bed with a deep, dreamy sigh. It would be so romantic if it were true...


End file.
